All persons of faith are invited to attend the National Day of Prayer May 5 at Crossroads Bible Church. The day will begin with prelude patriotic worship music from 11:30 a.m.-noon, with the program from noon-1 p.m.
Several local clergy and laypeople will lead the prayers. Join the gathering during the lunch hour and get an “I prayed” sticker. Gloria Streit will lead the worship music and Pastor Doug Partin will lead the prayer program.
“Americans have forgotten what made this country great over the last two centuries. But we can change that. Prayer not only changes things, prayer changes people,” said honorary chairman of the National Day of Prayer for 2011 Joni Earekson Tada.
The first Thursday in May is traditionally set aside for to reflect upon the religious foundations of the country and to pray for national and community leaders, courts and schools, the men and women in the Armed Services and for churches and families.
“I encourage you to join the National Day of Prayer efforts being planned in your own community, or gather a group and initiate an event which will welcome and provide an opportunity for the people in your community to gather on May 5th and pray for America,” Tada said.
Earlier this month, a panel of the U.S. court of appeals overturned a ruling that previously found the law requiring the President to proclaim a National Day of Prayer each year as unconstitutional. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 7th Circuit, based in Chicago, ruled 3-0 that the Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF) and its plaintiffs do not have standing to continue their challenge of the 1952 congressional act declaring an annual National Day of Prayer.
According to the appeals court ruling, the proclamation imposes no requirement on a person and therefore no one is hurt by a request that can be declined.
For more information on the National Day of Prayer, visit http://nationaldayof
prayer.org/.